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44-year-old Martin Truex Jr. will race at the Pocono Raceway one last time this Sunday as a full-time driver in the NASCAR Cup Series. A two-time winner at the Tricky Triangle, his final visit was always bound to be an extraordinary affair. But the track has gone one step further and showcased a touching tribute that has caused the Joe Gibbs Racing driver to get deeply emotional.
The start/finish line at the 2.5-mile track has got Truex Jr.’s name printed on it for the entirety of this weekend. Cole Custer and Corey Heim won their respective races in the Xfinity and Truck Series by rallying across the icon’s name. One from the Cup Series field will do the same on Sunday. For a legendary track like Pocono to be honoring a driver in such a manner is pretty special.
Asked about the tribute, Truex Jr. said, “I think I was actually pretty surprised seeing that two days ago. You know, as a driver, you don’t ever feel like you’re really deserving of things like that. For Pocono to do that, it’s really special for me, my family. Definitely cool to see and hope we’re the first to cross it (start/finish line) tomorrow.
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His retirement will come after 19 full-time seasons in the premier tier and Pocono has been one of the most crucial stops in this journey. He clinched race wins in 2015 and 2018 when he was still a driver at Furniture Row Racing. His best finish after switching to Joe Gibbs Racing is third place, which he secured both in 2019 and 2023.
Can Truex Jr. become a three-time Pocono winner before shutting shop?
He has qualified in third place for Sunday’s race. Teammate Ty Gibbs will be starting from pole position and Denny Hamlin will be alongside him on Row 2. Truex Jr. posted the fastest ten lap average speed in practice and appears to have a fast car going into the race. However, his recent momentum is a bit of concern. He has secured just a single top-10 finish over the past eight race weekends.
He believes that the slump is due to several factors including weather and unexpected accidents. For now, all he wants is a straightforward race that will let him execute well. Crossing his name to carry the sweet burden of victory on his back will make a lifetime memory for him and his fans.
